Index device for books



O. LENFANT. INDEX DEVICE FOR BOOKS.

No. 537,983. Patented Apr. '23, 1895.

Witnesses. Inventor. fA/u J3. f Jaw; 9M4 v J W.

Attorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LENFANT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

INDEX DEVICE FOR BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,983, dated April 23, 1895.

Application filed December 31,1894- Serial No. 533,380.. (No specimens.)

' ready reference to the several chapters or other divisional parts thereof; for which purpose it consists of the combination with a series of overlapping edge-pieces or analogous devices, mounted on the edges of the pages 1 or leaves and arranged in vertically inclined progression, of a strip secured to the inside of one of. the covers of the book and having a projectingfolded-overfree edge or flap upon the outer side or surface of which is printed a table of references to the contents of the book, corresponding in relative arrangement to the indexical edge-pieces on the book leaves, as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed. p

In the drawings,in which similar letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views, Figure l is an elevation in perspective of a book supplied with my improved index device; and Fig. 2 is a detail view of a part of the index device.

The book is represented in the drawings at- A inclosed within the usual covers A and A and is provided with the usual fly leaves a, 0/. Upon the leaf at the beginning or end of each chapter or other divisional parts of the book, is provided an indexical device,-preferably in the form of an overlapping edge-piece h (see Fig. 2) the leaf being marked m. Theseindexical points or pieces are arranged on the edge of the leaves in vertically inclined pro pages on the edges of which the indexical points 71. are arranged, and these descriptive terms are written, printed or otherwise indicated on a projecting folded-over edge of a sheet I) ofpaper or other analogous material secured to the front or back of the book between the fly leaves a, a

The sheet I) Fig. 1 is provided with a folded over flap 01 upon which the aforesaid descriptive terms, corresponding to the index points h, are printed or written, on the outer side or surface thereof (as shown in Fig. 1).

The mode of operation of the device is obvious from the drawings and the aforesaid description.

The descriptive terms being arranged on the folded-over index flap, corresponding in horizontal plane to the index points h, respectively, furnish a ready reference to the contents of the book, album or other like structure, and the index folded-over flap (1 of the strip 1) may, when the book is not in use, be folded back and be thus contained wholly between the covers of the book and hidden from view.

Having thus described my invention, I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters 'Patent An index device for books consisting essentially of a series of indexical overlapping edge pieces h secured to the front edges of the leaves at each divisional part of the book, and arranged in vertically inclined progression, in combination with an index strip 1) secured between the fiyleaves and having afolded over free edge 11 upon the outer side or surface of which is provided descriptive matter of such divisional parts of the book arranged horizontally opposite and corresponding in relative location to the vertically inclined series of edge pieces; substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 17th day of December,

CHARLES LENFANT. Witnesses:

FRANK S. BUSSER, H. '1. FENTON. 

